Save with solar in
Clifton, New Jersey

Clifton, New Jersey

Clifton has a population of over 86,000, which makes it the eleventh largest municipality in New Jersey. The city is home to Rutt’s Hut, one of the oldest hot dog restaurants in the country dating back to 1928 and the John and Anna Vreeland House, an 1817 construction that has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), the electric utility company serving Clifton, is working to reduce its carbon footprint. Their main projects in the city include the following:

In July 2010, PSE&G completed the installation of a 730-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array for its Metro Division Headquarters, located in Clifton. This installation was developed as part of the Solar 4 All program, which has the goal of installing 125 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic capacity throughout the state of New Jersey.

Since 2016, PSE&G replaced a significant portion of its gas distribution infrastructure in Clifton. Old cast iron pipes are being replaced to guarantee safe operation and to prevent methane leaks. They have also increased the distribution pressure of the gas, which enhances the operation of gas-saving water heaters and furnaces.

Solar Power in Clifton, NJ

A solar panel system in Clifton can provide home and business owners with significant energy savings and a new cash flow:

The average electricity rate for homeowners is 15 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which means solar panel owners save $150 for every 1,000 kWh of solar energy produced by the system.

In addition, system owners earn a Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) for every 1,000 kWh of solar generated. Solar panel owners receive an SREC even if they consume the solar energy themselves. The price of each SREC in New Jersey is around $220, as of 2017.

When you add energy savings and SREC sales, solar panels produce a total financial benefit of around $370 for every 1,000 kWh of energy generated. Keep in mind that annual energy savings also tend to increase year after year. For example, PSE&G electricity bills increased by around 5% between 2016 and 2017. This is normally bad news, but if you are generating your own energy with solar panels it means your savings are increasing over time!

In addition to energy savings and SREC sales, there are many government incentives available for solar panels in Clifton:

No Sales Tax: You are not charged any sales tax when your purchase your solar panels.

No Property Tax Increase: Solar panels actually make your home more valuable, but you are exempt from a property tax increase.

The NJ Clean Energy Residential New Constructions Program grants rebates to those installing solar power on a new home. This benefit does not apply for existing buildings.

Additionally, there is a nationwide 30% tax credit for solar panel systems. You can claim a federal tax credit for 30% of the cost of your solar power system.

If you are unable to pay the full price of a solar panel system upfront, but still want to save money with solar, a loan might be the best option for you. PSE&G offers customers a loan with zero money down and favorable terms if you agree to sell your SRECs back to the utility. However, many banks and financial institutions offer solar loans for those who qualify, so we recommend shopping around.

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Estimated savings are based on a projected annual utility rate increase of 3.5% over the life of the
system. Actual pricing and savings will vary and is not guaranteed. Savings depends on several
factors, including product type, system production, system size, geography, weather, shade,
electricity usage, full utilization of all available tax credits and rebates by the system owner,
and utility rate structures and rate increases.